Week 5!!

This week is going a lot better than the other we are teaching a lot more people and our having so much more fun with my
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> companions. I mean people our still weird i mean on one hand we have a bunch of devil worshipers and everything from
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> there on and on the other we have people that are really good members, we get invited to a meal about every night and
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> most the time they are pretty good but a couple makes you cringe. I have to get used to not saying things before i think
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> about them. Because all of you know me, i say it how it is but i learned in old Maryland here you might get stuff thrown at
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> you the projectile varies in speed so you got to be careful. But at the zone conferences all the kids from the mtc told our
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> whole zone how i act and now i am the legend according to my mtc companion and those who were in my district.
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> My companions have a quote book now for what i say and that's the same thing that happened in the MTC so must not
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> -be that boring of a person. They say now that there is never a dual moment with Elder Killian. Um about dishes which
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> everyone who does not know i hate dishes, but i have also never had a dish washer and it is like heaven so i dont have
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> to pay my companion to do dishes, so if you don't have one you should get one (mom,dad) I really want to know how
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> all the firth football games have gone from the first game and so on please!!!
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> Uh so i am not homesick so its good pictures make me feel like Idaho is here so anybody reading this message if you
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> have any pictures of Elder Killian would be sweet. Thanks i want to know how hunting seasons going for everybody
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> I am learning a bunch of new words out here, and i wont go into further detail with that. Weeks our going by pretty fast
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> i am trying to keep up with my companions because both of them our zone leaders so a lot of the time we should be proselyting
> i get to sit in meeting about the zone and so on so thats why its taking me a little bit longer to catch up on things.
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> other than the fact i could never really catch on to anything fast but i want to go with the first excuse makes me feel
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> better. I am doing a lot of service so i get to wear my wranglers and boots so that's cool oh and you should send
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> pictures printed out mom because i cant get into my email any other time to show my companions
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> Its kinda cool, i can ask a lot of things over the computer and across the country very very fun being a missionary
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> but that's just what happens when your a "boss". But seriously thanks for everybody's help and example this far and
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> hope that its not to boring in old idaho without me, it was quite the party
> SEND TO ALL THANKS LOVE Y'ALL
>
> sincerely Elder Killian

>

A little taste of Hagerstown....

Thank you once again to Bishop and Liz Killpack for taking this video as you traveled through Kody's first area..Hagerstown, Maryland.  Kody serves right in the heart of this city.

(The voice narrating is Liz Killpack.....)

Photo's of Elder Killian!!

One of the AMAZING things about serving a mission for Kody is that he gets the oppurtunity to meet many great people and those people send photo's on so that family can see what Kody is doing and those that he meets and serves.

This was posted on Face book under the Baltimore Missionary page. This is Kody...Eder Killian with his first two companions.  Kody has mentioned in his last letter that they have been providing A LOT of service something that Kody LOVES doing.  He gets the opportunity to wear his Wranglers and boots!!!

Last weekend this photo was sent from a family that fed the three Elders.  She commented what nice young men they all were.  Do to the area that the Elder's are serving it is recommended that the Elders not just take out their  cameras and start taking pictures because they may not see the camera again.  So it is quite a treasure when the photo's are taken and sent to Ruthan.

This was a surprise sent to Ruthan today that shows just how small this world it is!!! This is Bishop Killpacks wife Liz and she understands the challenges of being a missionary mom since her oldest son Trevor is also serving a mission. I

Bishop Killpack and his family while out here visiting the East Coast sent this picture to Ruthan and the message below it!!

Week 4

Hey y'all how ya doing thanks for sending all the pictures I am actually serving in the hagertown part of Maryland and it is like the ghetto really weird stuff i see there. When i got hooked up

with my companions elder woods and elder dear-den, because i got put in a trio which is pretty cool thy are cool guys they have been here about 23 months. One of the members picked us 

up from the mission home and she is funny she took us to golden corral and when were there the manager walked over and gave us all 3 meal passes each so not all people here in hagertown 

want to hurt you.the member took us to are room we were staying in in hagerstown and its not to bad they got nice beds good sized bathroom got my own closet and inside are room they have a full weight room so that is where i exercise

 after she had dropped us off, a family had dinner they had fixed for us three missionaries, we have are own car so us Elders  drove over there. Then we walked into this house we saw that they let there dogs and cats just poop everywhere there is like bugs 

of all sorts running around there, so us trio walk through the building and like dancing ballerinas trying to avoid bugs and poop of all sorts, then we sit down at the table and they bring us really nice glasses filled with some cheap brand of expired mountain dew. Then they gave us plates of spaghetti, there definition of spaghetti was putting noodles in a crock pot and chopping up tomatoes i don't know how old and just throwing them on the noodles like no sauce or anything. 

So i look at elder woods and he says we have to eat all of it so we all gag and dry heave and then just started eating we finally made it through the whole plate and then, and this is the worst part 

she puts are plates on the ground lets all the dogs lick our plates and then looks at us and and says and i quote "that's how we clean our plates in this house, good thing we have dogs". So me 

and the other elders are trying to keep cool . then they want us to do a service project and move couches and tables for them, i wont get into to that whole story but lets

just say i have nightmares every night since that. we got out of there house and all three of us ran out of hand sanitize in about 30 seconds. had the longest shower ever and i think i drank 

a little mouthwash and hand sanitize just to make sure and i was looking through the first aid box for an 8-way shot and some ivermectin along with the rabies vaccine and some penicillin

but they have a shortage of that in hagertown. 

The next day I woke up, all three of us still disgusted above measure, we went proselyting and all the time on the street contact all the people say is "at this point no one can help us" and at 

some point there was some people i believed. As sad as that is i was getting lit cigarettes thrown at me marijuana smoke blown in my face and everything on from there  but i did get to teach a short 

restoration message with some people sitting in launch chairs dancing with a whiskey bottle jamming to gold digger I'm guessing that's what is called because it was repeated every other word almost so 

but the members in hagerstown are pretty cool and they give you food you don't have to worry about not waking the next morning and the bishop here is really cool all the people here like 

listening what goes on in Idaho us cowboys and rednecks. but i have actually got to teach some investigators and one says he is 80 percent sure that he is going to get baptized some guy 

wants to talk to his late wife in the temple and we had to nicely tell him that you have to get baptized first and that's not quite how it works. Another guy has been being taught by missionaries for 3 years but wont get baptized 

 I am really having a lot of fun and me and companions joke and have fun a lot. Elder dear-den got strep throat so elder woods went Sunday to church
with another elder while i baby sit Elder dear-den but it saved me from talking in church and i got to read a lot of the book of Mormon. And mom send my nice razor i think the Cages gave me grey hairs with that meal. 103 north edge wood drive apartment 11 hagerstown,Maryland    Area code is 21740-6513 send to there if you have packages or mail letters please    Send this email to all so i can share my rainbow and loli pop LALA land stories in Maryland with all people in Idaho    LOVE Y'ALL THANKS FOR BEING GOOD EXAMPLES

PLEASE PRAY FOR ME THANKS!!!!!!!!      Sincerely

Kody's Address until transfers is:  Elder Kody Killian

                                                      103 North Edgewood Dr.

                                                       Apartment 11

                                                       Hagerstown, MD 21740-6513

Feel free to send anything yummy including Pepsi and of course more hand sanitizer 😉

A box from Kody!!

Before Kody left to head to Baltimore he went to the MTC store and sent a package home to his family.  Along with the beautiful items he also wrote a personal letter to each one of them.

                                          This is the beautiful necklace he sent to Kierra!!

 This is the CTR ring on a chain for Seth to wear to always remember to chose the right

       This was for his mom.  A beautiful necklace that she can wear close to her heart.

 Desmond got a shirt with MTC on it and Kody sent his mom a shirt with his mission area on it...the shirt may be a little large but that does not matter...

              Dad and Seth also got a shirt and a water bottle from the MTC. For Darren it is kind of cool to hear what his son is accomplishing on his mission since he also served a mission many years ago.

Everyone wearing their gifts...granted I am sure there are moments they wish Kody was there to give a big hug too.

Week 3

Hey Mom I will be calling one of you Tuesday morning so u all better be together when I call I am writing you for the last time I hope you ain't shipped that shipped that shirt yet because I sent that As a surprise for u guys but it's whatever I am leaving Tuesday so it it gets there after Monday we have a shirt back at the MTC love y'all talk to you Tuesday morning  before I get on the airplane and I won't know what day my pday is so love you guys and hope everything is alright I won't be able to respond after this but I can look at your messages so send me pictures of boos girlfriend and let me know if my dogs and horses have been being used for riding and hunting love you guys so I will call you

(The shirt that Kody mentioned was sent to Ruthan.  The only issue is that he picked an X-large.  That is a little big for Ruthan so she thought Kody had bought it for himself...but it is for his Mom!!)

This is Ruthan's note back to Kody:
Good evening😀 we are already and so excited to talk to you in the morning😀  Mitch will be here after work and ready to talk in the morning as well!!!!! Please call my number.  Sleep well my son and we love you so much.  Talk to you in the morning😀

This a picture of Kody's whole union at the MTC, they all left at the same time and will all serve in the Baltimore, Maryland Mission

Kody arrived at 4:00 at BWI (Baltimore-Washington International Airport.  Sister Christiansen (the Mission Presidents wife), finally got ahold of Ruthan at about 9:47 Ruthan's time to let her know Elder Killian had arrived.  She shared that when Kody got off the plane he had the whole unit singing.  He had 2 Book of Mormons with his testimony and he gave both away on the plane.

This is Ruthan's message she sent to Elder Killian:

Good Evening😀 I just got off the phone with Sister Christiansen.  She told me multiple times how amazing you are and how much your unit loves you💖 I am so proud of you and I truly know the lord knows each our hearts personally and blesses us to know what we need to become our best selves and to touch others lives.  There is no question in my mind that you are going to continue to be a leader and touch and bless so many lives!!!! I love you tons!!! I am so blessed to be your mom!!!

One other note.....Every night Kody would sing the "Devil went down to Georgia'...it was the perfect song to cheer everyone up especially since one companionship could not get along...

Week 2

Week 2

Hello, I'm still alive and starting to get used to the MTC and calling

everybody elder and sister so that's good, classes go by really quick

Monday through Saturday but Sundays we have like sacrament and then 10

other classes to go to it is exhausting. But fun at the same time when

the classes get boring tho I lighten the mood so everybody is awake

again. People now know more about animals from Idaho that they find

interesting and some things they didn't want to know. me and my

companion elder welling get along great but our other 2 roomates elder

James and elder Christensen have WWIII in the dorm sometime they each

want to teach something different to the investigators so that gets

annoying in the room every now and then. We have been able to go to a

lot of devotionals and stuff but I haven't got to see an apostle yet I

mean come on they must not know me enough to come and talk at the MTC

at least once before I go or they are going miss the opportunity to me

see me live at the MTC, but it's all about choices. Me and my

companions have had super good experiences with all the people we have

taught and and have had great experiences for me and my companion also

all the other people in our district have definitely become better

missionary's, and sadly one of the sisters felt like she needed to go

home, but again it's all about choices. Everybody likes me to tell

them what had happened at my farewell, they enjoy the story. Keep

sending pictures of Idaho horses and hunting, it makes me feel like

Idaho is here and people like to look at them. Honestly I used to hate

pictures but now I wish I gotten more because the elders and sister

like to look at them so riding horses or hunting pictures would be

great if you could thanks for everybody that has to put up with me.

But now you have 2 years to vent and then I'll be back at bothering

you again like normal I'll keep sending weekly emails if you keep in

touch with me. Don't have to much fun without me and tell next Tuesday

see y'all later.

Sincerely. Meeeee

Elder Kody Killian's travel itinerary for when he arrives in the mission field of Baltimore, Maryland

Oh and treats our good on top of that 

Week 1

Week 1

When I first got here it was crazy and there was little to NO TREES
buts it okay we get to stare at a mountaiN I got  took right to my
dorm and then to class when I got to class m,y district was 35a my
teaches are sister ekstrom and brother wright we have 16 people in our
district 3 companions of sister and 5 companions of elders, which by
the ways it is very difficult to call everybody elder or sister once
you have been calling everybody buddy pal man brother dude etc. but
it's whatever once I got into class I met my companion elder welling
and he is really cool from Evanston Wyoming and we have quite a bit in
common. So we got done with class and we head to dinner and they feed
you like kings and queens. OH SORRY elders and sisters forgive me then
we come back to our dorm and my roomates are elder Christensen elder
James elder welling and myself really cool group of people but
honestly first day I wanted to go home it was ridiculous. I mean the
residence is supposed to be peaceful it's a dedicated house of the
lord and there is people pumping rock music walking around in there
garments yelling swearing shirtless and I even get stuff stolen from
me out of the bathroom when I leave for 1 minute and they stay up like
til 1230 even though it's lights out at 1030 but my whole district
follows all the rules because we good like that.  Anyways I have
started warming up to the MTc and I definitely am feeling the spirit
now we have gone to a session in the temple we go to devotionals which
are really cool.  me and elder welling have got to do trc which is
like teaching investigators and we have done really good on some but
totally bombed others sadly.  it's weird been confined here we went
out to go to the temple and I forgot people still drive cars and not
walked everywhere. So I am not goood at taking very many things
seriously so I am the comedian in our district and every body asks for
farm parables to ad to the lesson I make random comments to wake up
people (myself)         So in the residence I have been quite funny to
a respectful level in the dorms but I make people laugh so far I am
learning to become a great missionary and getting the information I
think I will need.  everybody says I have a country accent don't
really know what they are talking about but  the girls like it so I am
not complaining.  um not to be selfish but everybody has gotten 12
packages with candy a piece from families and people that aren't
related to them  in my dorm and I got a letter that said I need my
immunization letter so that's good FYI---I like Pepsi candy and just
stuff that makes you feel loved thanks! Oh but what I really want is
all the hunting pictures with my dogs and dogs I have trained the
little deer I have shot basically anything that has to do with hunting
please send pictures of horses and stuff to show my district they are
interested in  the mountains of Idaho they are definitely not country
people at all I was gonna ask if they know what end of the horse to
feed I mean some sisters ain't ever been to rodeo or know who john
Wayne is. But anyways thanks to all those who have been an example and
haven't strangled me yet for sarcastic comments and those that have
taught me to work hard and been my friends.  my P DAY is Tuesday so
that's when you here from me next and maybe I will have taught the
difference of a cow and a horse and have a stomach full of Pepsi

Share this email with everyone. Love you all thanks for reading.

Sincerely, handsome devil I mean ELDER KILLIAN

                                                           This is Kody's zone in the MTC.

Kody and his companion Elder Welling from Evanston, Wyoming

I believe this is the MTC

The MTC

Elder Kody Killian entered the MTC on August 23, 2017.  The night before the whole family stayed at a hotel in Provo.  Ruthan said she woke up to see Kody ironing his suit because he did not want to enter the MTC in a wrinkled suit.

After having breakfast they spent the morning at the Provo temple because Kody would not enter the MTC until 1:00.

 The whole family at the Provo City Temple in Provo, Utah. Preparing to say goodbye to Kody.

                                                         Kody with his mini-me..Mr.Seth.

 Mom and Dad..trying to keep their emotions together, knowing when the time was over they would be saying goodbye for 2 years.

 Mitch, Kody and Darren...it was really hard on Mitch knowing that his brother was going to be leaving to do the Lord's work but still it would be hard.

 Just a few more pictures...because no matter how many your take it is NEVER enough.

 The final hug...no matter how tall Kody is he will always be "her baby boy".

 They only give the missionaries 3 minutes to say goodbye, get their things out of the car and get into the MTC.

 Taking his bags and walking into the MTC, he had already said goodbye and sent us emails to say he would see us in 2 years.

The Farewell!!

Kody had his mission farewell on July 30, 2017 in Kimball Ward, Firth Idaho.  Desmond was also asked to speak at the farewell and did a GREAT job.  Desmond started out by saying that he was the handsome brother.

When it was Kody's turn to speak we saw Kody go over and talk to Bishop Todd Killpack.  Then Kody came back and went to the podium and said that, "this is what was going to happen we were going to wait in awkward silence as he awkwardly walked out the door to go to bathroom and then he would awkwardly walk back in and address all of us.

That is exactly what he did.  When he returned he gave a truly AMAZING talk, he had many personal experiences.  As he told stories Aidan just laughed and laughed and it did not make it to easy for Kody or so he says because I and Aidan were directly in front of him on the front row.  In fact at one point Kody said I could now move to the back...I really never teased him....

Then Kody got a surprise when him Mom (Ruthan Killian) played the piano, Desmond (his brother) and a friend played on their violin's, "In the Hollow of thy Hand".

Everyone was then invited to a luncheon in the Killian backyard..one of the things Ruthan had set up was a photo booth and everyone was to get photo's with Kody or by themselves one of the photo's  went with them and one was kept for Kody's scrapbook.

Above is just a few pictures from the day!!

Kody with from Left to Right....

Kody with some of the great people his Mom works with at EIRMC..from left to right.

Some of Kody's friends...

Kody with his best friend Layne Bolinder and his family!! Kody was trying on some great new glasses which will help him to see all of the AMAZING things that he will see and experience while in Baltimore.

After the luncheon was over Daren had to leave to go to work and he told the boys to clean up the tables and the chairs.  The boys went one step further and had Dustin Mecham bring up his four-wheeler, then they hooked the trailer to the 4 wheeler and headed off to the church on the back roads.  Kody and Mitch decided to ride on the trailer and the tables and at one point they even enjoyed some "table surfing".  So Layne, Dustin, Eleanor, Kody and Mitch headed out...yes, Aunt Wendi was trying to encourage safety.

The story does not end there...Ruthan was a little worried what this group would come up with...please also note that Kody had no shoes on...eventually we followed the boys path to the church and they had no key to get in...so they drove back to the house and at this point the 4-wheeler was overheating so they ended up having to take a truck back and then had a key....never a dull moment with this group.

The Call comes in!!

On May 16, 2017 Kody opened his Mission Call.  He was surrounded by friends and family and family also joined via the wonders of technology. It was an exciting moment for everyone, especially Kody.

Desmond and Kody made a trek the night before to Barnes and Noble in Idaho Falls to find a map of the World so that everyone could take guesses to where he would be sent.

Kody also decorated around the map with pictures of him growing up.  So that everyone could see the progress he made toward this moment in his life.

Kody opened his package and at first had a hard time finding where the letter was calling him to the mission...then after a minute or two he found it...he had been called to the Baltimore, Maryland Mission.  He was to report to the MTC on August 23rd!!

 Some of Kody's friends.  Two of them had already received their misson calls and 1 was waiting for his!!!

 Kody and his adopted Grandpa Mecham and his wife!!

 Grandma Killian and Kody.  Grandma Killian also made sure that he had his suitcases for his mission.

                                              The Killian side of cousins and Aunt Rhonda.

 Kody with his best friend Layne as well as Layne's brother, sister and Mom.

 Kody with his Ma and Pa Telford from Trek's son.

                                  Desmond and Kody...that smile of Kody's face is priceless.

                                           Layne, Kody and Layne's girlfriend Annakayla

                                                              Destiny and Kody!!!

 Grandma Killian who is very, very proud of Kody's decision to serve a mission.

                                                      I would call this a FULL house!!!